The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has appealed to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, to urgently facilitate judgment in a pending Supreme Court appeal involving the party’s leadership crisis.
In a letter dated April 28 and signed by the party’s legal counsel, Shuaibu E. Aruwa, SAN, the ADC warned that any further delay in the matter could jeopardise its participation in the 2027 general elections.
Part of the letter read: “We are counsel to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the 2nd respondent in the above-mentioned appeal.
“My Lord, this appeal was graciously heard expeditiously on April 22, 2026, and judgment was thereafter reserved to a date to be communicated by the court.
“However, My Lord, we are most respectfully constrained to request Your Lordship’s kind intervention and directive in ensuring that the judgment is rendered timeously, having regard to the fact that INEC, the 4th respondent in the said appeal, purportedly acting pursuant to the judgment of the lower court in Appeal No: CA/ABJ/145/2026, acted to remove or de-recognise the leadership of the African Democratic Congress, leaving the ADC without leadership at the moment, even though the party remains a duly registered political party in Nigeria.”
The legal team also drew the attention of the Chief Justice to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s preparations for the 2027 elections.
“My Lord, we also respectfully draw Your Lordship’s attention to the INEC timetable for the 2027 General Elections and the activities in readiness which have already commenced,” the letter added.
According to the ADC, copies of INEC’s press release de-recognising the party’s leadership, as well as the revised timetable for the 2027 elections, were attached to the correspondence.
The party maintained that its ability to meet statutory requirements for participation in the next general elections depends largely on the prompt delivery of judgment by the apex court.
“Without the delivery of judgment within the next three days from the date of this letter, the ADC stands at the grave and irreversible risk of being excluded from participating in the 2027 General Elections.
“This would disenfranchise millions of Nigerians who have subscribed to the ideals of the ADC and deny them their constitutional right to freely associate and contest elections through a political party of their choice,” the letter stated.
The counsel further acknowledged the workload of the Supreme Court but stressed the urgency of the situation.
“My Lord, we are mindful of the enormous responsibilities and workload of this Honourable Court. We are equally aware that justice delayed, in this peculiar circumstance, would amount to justice denied.
“The entire political future of our client and the legitimate expectations of its members nationwide now hang in the balance,” the letter added.
